Devil's Backbone
by Kurt's Anatomy
Summary: "Don't care if he's guilty; don't care if he's not. He's good and he's bad and he's all that I've got" When Kurt transfers to McKinley from Dalton Academy, he unwittingly catches the eye of the school's resident football Neanderthal, Blaine Anderson. Blaine leads Kurt on a dangerous path, one which he may never be able to return from.


Devil Backbone

"**Don't care if he's guilty; don't care if he's not. He's good and he's bad and he's all that I've got" When Kurt transfers to McKinley from Dalton Academy, he unwittingly catches the eye of the school's resident football Neanderthal, Blaine Anderson. Blaine leads Kurt on a dangerous path, one which he may never be able to return from.**

Chapter 1- I'm Not What You Think

* * *

Kurt knew that his first day at his new school, McKinley High, was going to be a test after spending two years of his high school career attending the glorified private school, Dalton Academy. Kurt had really found a home there and made some unforgettable friends, but, after some unfortunate events, he had surrendered control of his merited scholarship and lost his place within the school. Since his dad could not afford to pay the tuition fees, Kurt headed to public school for a new challenge. He knew that his personality and effeminacy was going cause the school and himself some problems, but he was as resilient as ever and he knew that nobody pushed the Hummels around. As far as Kurt was concerned, how the school acted towards him said nothing about him, it spoke volumes about their own mediocrity.

Kurt felt a strange, soft sensation brush up against his right arm. Somebody had slung an arm carelessly around his shoulders. He turned to face the figure and saw a beautiful boy with a helmet of gelled dark-brown hair wearing a letterman jacket (jocks, Kurt rolled his eyes) which was the cause of the smoothness. He was chewing some gum, rather sloppily Kurt noticed, and Kurt had to look anywhere besides his beautiful hazel eyes, which encapsulated Kurt in an isolated bubble of infatuation. This boy was seriously gorgeous, but what was he currently doing with his arm around Kurt? That made no sense to the Hummel boy.

"I heard that there was a new student in town, but I didn't know he would be nearly as beautiful as you are. The name's Blaine. Anderson. Remember it. Not that you'll need to, I'm all anybody talks about in this place. I got quite a reputation for spraying my seed all over Lima." He- Blaine- winked at Kurt like he should be impressed. Kurt, suddenly disgusted (yet a little intrigued) by Blaine's attitude, spun free of Blaine's arm and stared the boy down.

"I'm sorry, am I supposed to be impressed that you're enough of a whore to fuck every girl in this entire town?" He snapped. He had no time for bad-boy posers who thought that they were everything good with the town. Blaine obviously thought that he was Gucci's gift to the world.

"Girls, nah, you got it wrong new kid. I'm all about the cock. And judging by your…outfit and obvious attention to your appearance, you must be to. Wow, we have a lot in common. What was your name again?"

"Kurt. Hummel. And not that I in any conceivable way condone the use of stereotypes, but, I am gay and I have enough taste and high enough standards to know not to even make deliberate contact with you for fear of contracting something only the most potent of bleaches and stain-removers can eradicate. So, unless you're going to continue to annoy me with your pestering voice and your gelled hair that looks like you've just ran a steamroller across your smug little face, I shall be on my way." Kurt clutched his satchel and walked proudly through the halls, ignoring looks of confusion and disgust (already?) from his future peers.

One girl latched onto his arm and walked with him, keeping up with his pace and style levels. Kurt was thus far impressed.

"I see you handled Anderson. He's a royal pain in everyone's ass and it's always nice to see someone knock him off of his self-constructed pedestal. He's a member of the jock block, but he's only there because he's a good player, but nobody really likes or gets him."

"My apologies, but with whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?" Kurt asked politely. It was _always_ nice to be polite, unless you were dealing with scumbags like Blaine Anderson or some Neanderthals. You never know who was out to stab you in the back with a nice little pointed knife.

"Santana Lopez, a.k.a HBIC at McKinley and the Queen of the Junior Class. Self-proclaimed, of course, there was no election. Though it looks like I may have a run for my money, I mean, anybody who wears Alexander McQueen and walks like Beyonce has to be fabulous and worthy of my time. So how about you try out for Glee Club today? Even if you don't sing, you can join. Mr Schuester lets anybody in; he's kind of a tool like that."

"Are you done? Because we walked past my homeroom like a minute ago. And, yes, I was planning on auditioning for the New Directions anyway. I'm the only countertenor in Lima, Santana, of _course_ I can sing. You seem like you've got something to offer me here. As it's my first day, I shall need help catching up on the banal dramas of public school functioning. I'll see you around, Santana Lopez. I'm Kurt, by the way. Kurt Hummel."

Kurt strutted into his homeroom to the expected frowns and an assortment of gossipy whispering. He signed in with the teacher, Mr Oliver and took a spare seat next to a blonde girl in the corner of the room. Raising an eyebrow at the social levels of his classmates, Kurt took his phone out and saw his screensaver. It was of his old Dalton friends. Wes, Thad, Nick, Jeff, David and Trent. The seven of them were all really close friends. Kurt was closest to Jeff, who had been beside himself when Kurt had announced that he was leaving for McKinley. Jeff had petitioned with Mrs Lansbury (yes, like Angela Lansbury) for Kurt to stay and try and win another merit-based scholarship, but she had refused as there were none available. Mrs Lansbury herself was cut up about seeing Kurt leave them, she had adored the boy lots and fought the board for an appeal based on Kurt's situation at the time, but the Dalton Board of Directors were extremely traditional and based on the rubric, and exceptions for students were simply not permitted, only in extreme cases of interest such as a family loss or an illness. Kurt's had been none of those, but that didn't mean it wasn't serious. It lost him his scholarship, so it was definitely important.

Kurt had only realised how close the desks were when the blonde's arm brushed against his.

"Are they friends from your old school?" She asked, not pryingly, but with an air of curiosity.

"Ah, but the better question is how you managed to glean information about me that I have not yet shared with you, oh mysterious elbow partner of mine." Kurt chuckled.

"Honey, you've been here for five minutes, but everybody already knows there's a fashionable new kid in town who took down the absolute cretin that is Blaine Anderson in your first moments of being here. He's known for being a Class A sleazebag." She purred, seemingly delighted with the events that had transpired earlier.

"Information travels quickly here, I'm guessing. So if I kissed you right now, everyone would know about it by next period?" Kurt said for example. The girl nodded.

"Though it would be extremely whorish of me to kiss a guy who I don't even know the name of." The girl raised an eyebrow. Kurt's lips curled into a smile.

"Kurt Hummel, pleasure to make your acquaintance." Kurt liked this girl. She was fun.

"Quinn Fabray, HBIC of the school. You'll see." Kurt paused, wondering where he had heard that statement before.

"I'm a little bemused here. Is the Head Bitch in Charge you or Santana Lopez? Both of you have expressed your position with such an initialism so I glean that you've been warring over the position?"

"Santana and I are really good friends, but there's some friendly competition as to who rules the school. I'm head cheerleader again but her reign of terror sparks fear in the entire school and she manages to tie with me." Kurt had not missed her phrasing.

"Again? Did something happen to make you not head cheerleader anymore? Apologies, it's not my place to pry, I just want to get to know the kinks and mechanics of this school before I truly settle in, you know?"

"I'm surprised you haven't heard it already. I had a baby last year." Kurt's eyes widened.

"Wow, Fabray, your gestation clearly did not even touch your figure. It's like you were never pregnant. Way to destroy stretch marks, girl." He high fived her. She smirked. She could get used to having a friend like Kurt around; a fabulous yet flammable gay who would be completely honest with her. He seemed to have a full disclosure policy thus far and she did not label him as the type to lie.

"Damn straight. Anyway, I have Glee Club first period and I have to get there early and sign my name so that Rachel Berry doesn't sing every solo in the songbook of Barbra Streisand songs. Are you auditioning?"

"I am planning to. I have study hall next, which is awfully planned because I haven't even taken any classes to study for yet." Kurt chuckled.

"Well, if you want, you could come along to Glee Club? Maybe audition early, work out the kinks of the club. That's if you're prepared, of course." Quinn's eyes lighted at the prospect of hearing this boy sing. She didn't know what it was, but something about him intrigued her and she found herself yearning to know more about him.

"I assume there's a piano in the choir room."

"Indeed. Do you play?"

"Frequently. This is good, do you mind if I walk you there?" Kurt smirked, looking around the room at the staring cavalry who were eagerly waiting to see what Kurt did next after the Blaine incident. Quinn almost laughed. This boy was _good_.

"It would be an honour, Mr Hummel." She offered her arm, which he latched onto, much like he did with Santana, and she led him to Glee Club. They weren't the first ones there though. To Quinn's dismay, Rachel Berry was sat with her ex-boyfriend, Finn Hudson on the front row. She was babbling about something vastly unimportant whilst he pretended to listen. Quinn could have giggled right there. He _always_ listened to me, she thought. Tina, Mike and Mercedes were also there, the chocolate diva feeling a little like a third wheel as Tina and Mike kissed each other fiercely. Before Quinn and Kurt could reach the door, everybody else filed in, Puck giving her a strange look and nodding slightly to Kurt, which Quinn was sure that the porcelain-skinned boy did not miss.

Quinn gaped as Kurt walked in there as if he had been there his whole life. Luckily, Mr Schuester walked in at the same moment.

"Take a seat, Quinn. Who's this?" He gestured to Kurt.

"Hello, I'm Kurt Hummel. Quinn informed that it may be possible for me to do an early audition for the New Directions before the meeting." He turned to face the group, who were puzzling over his demeanour, trying to figure him out.

Mr Schuester was stunned. "Uh, of course, Kurt. Will you be needing any accompaniment?"

"Just the piano, if that's acceptable." Kurt nodded to the beautiful grand piano adjacent to him. Will nodded eagerly and joined the rest of the members, waiting to watch Kurt curiously.

Kurt sat at the piano and flexed his fingers, tinkering with a few keys and pressing on the pedal before performing the opening notes and beginning his piece.

_Welcome to your life  
There's no turning back  
Even while we sleep  
We will find you_

Kurt had often lay awake at night, wondering whether he demons of the daytime would pay him a visit at all, just to make his day the tiniest bit worse. He had been glad when they didn't, but the occasional nightmare threw him off his game a little bit and made the day so much harder to get by. The lines reminded him of the warnings he got when coming out. The Dalton guidance counsellor had told it to him straight that not everybody would be so wholeheartedly accepting and supportive of homosexuals as his father was. _Welcome to your life_, Kurt pictured her saying, with her apologetic smile and her Calvin Klein glasses.

_Acting on your best behaviour  
Turn your back on Mother Nature  
Everybody wants to rule…the world_

_It's my own design  
It's my own remorse  
Help me to decide  
Help me make the _

_Most of freedom and of pleasure  
Nothing ever lasts forever  
Everybody wants to rule…the world_

_There's a room where the light won't find you  
Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down  
When they do I'll be right behind you_

_So glad we almost made it  
So sad they had to fade it  
Everybody wants to rule…the world_

_Can't stand this indecision  
Paired with a lack of vision  
Everybody wants to rule…the world_

_Everybody…wants to…rule the world. _

Kurt's voice melodically faded out and he rose from the piano stool, knowing he had performed well, but not sure about the entry requirements for the club. Would his voice fit in well with theirs? Would he be able to get solos, unlike with the Warblers where Nick and Thad took all of the spoils and performed at every event they went to?

Simultaneously, the Glee Club burst into applause, with Santana, Quinn, an Asian girl and a boy with a Mohawk giving him a standing ovation. The director, Mr Schuester made his way towards Kurt.

"Kurt, that was…stunning. You seem like a truly gifted vocalist and it's obvious that there's a place for you in this group. I'm happy that I've finally gotten my hands on a countertenor. I never thought that I would find one in Lima! I definitely speak for everybody when I say…Welcome to the New Directions!" Mr Schuester gestured for him to take a seat. Santana and Quinn had silently conversed and split so that he could sit between them, with Brittany on Santana's other side.

"Kurt, I'd like you to meet Brittany S. Pierce, quite possibly the most unique and genius person at this school." Santana motioned for Britt to lean forward.

"Hello, Kurtie! I just know that you and I are going to be the best of friends because you're a dolphin and a unicorn and I'm a bi-corn, which means that we're soulmates who don't sleep together, but I'm reserved for Sanny." Brittany spoke vibrantly. Kurt was simply _charmed_ by her, even with a first impression as strange as hers.

"Why hello, Brittany. My best friend's little sister informed me a few months ago that dolphins are just gay sharks, so I would be right in thinking that's why you called me dolphin," Kurt said. Brittany nodded happily, glad that somebody finally understood her methods of thinking. "I'm looking forward very much to getting to know you better, you seem like a lovely girl." Brittany beamed at his words. Santana was happy, too, after all anybody else that made Brittany smile like that was an ultimate winner.

Their greetings were cut short by the arrival of a dark figure leaning on the doorframe of the choir room.

"Mr Schuester?" The figure knocked.

"Blaine?" Will recognised him from Spanish class. Was Blaine about to try out for Glee Club?

"I heard the angelic singing through the wall and realised that nobody in here sung like that and I figured you were doing early auditions. I'd like to audition."

Santana looked at Quinn. "The fuck?" She whispered. Weren't the whorish jocks like him the type to stay as far away from Glee Club as possible? Santana was definitely second guessing his motives for auditioning for the club and rest assured, she would be watching him as closely as Sue Sylvester watching for any involuntary weight gain after Thanksgiving. Santana shuddered at the memory of what the cheerleading legend had done to the poor freshman who had carb loaded during the holiday period. Santana would never look at a hammer again without remembering that particular memory.

Santana nodded to herself with the realisation that Anderson wanted to get into Kurt's tight jeans and have his way with him. Kurt almost looked ready to play right now, she thought. Anderson was hot but, much like herself, he put on a front of being much more confident that he actually was. His melodramatic sleaze was just a counter for all the shit that was going on inside his head, Santana was sure of it. She figured that Kurt might be able to bring his emotions out. Already, she had gained the impression that Kurt was an emotional ninja and had very specifics plans for whomever he encountered.

"I don't know what his angle is." Quinn shot back. Kurt was as confused as the others. Santana just smirked.

"Uh, sure Blaine. Will you be needing any accompaniment?" _Piano_, Santana thought to herself.

"I think I could use a piano. I don't play though, could anyone help me out?" Santana recognised a wicked sparkle in Blaine's eye, like he was plotting something. It was hidden cleverly behind a vulnerable mask. Blaine may have actually wanted the Glee Club to realise that maybe he could change and stop being douchebags to them on a daily basis. Blaine had obviously figured out that Kurt was singing and playing before and wanted his assistance. Santana figured that Blaine wanted in Kurt's pants, which was all kinds of hot in her head, but Kurt seemed to like to type to only fuck who he dated and he didn't seem like the guy to date Neanderthals. He was far too classy for that.

Kurt raised his hand confidently, itching for any excuse to play. Kurt walked down to him, and Blaine whipped out the sheet music, whispering something in Kurt's ear. Kurt's affronted look to Santana and Quinn that Blaine had whispered something completely vulgar in his ear.

"So yeah, when you're ready, hot stuff." Blaine nodded to Kurt.

Kurt began to play the twinkling beginning melody of the song, not looking at the sheet music. Quinn had a feeling that Kurt already knew the song. Santana _swore_ that she saw a quick, traitorous tear slip down Kurt's face.

_The world is too heavy  
To pick from my shoulders  
Come take the weight off me now_

Blaine really got into the song as the first verse began. He meant what he was singing. He had had too much weight piled upon him of late to even begin to hold. It was all too much and he felt like he was burdened with the enormous weight of the whole planet. He wanted somebody to ease the pain, but nobody was willing to look past the bad boy demeanour, or even realise that it was all just a veneer. And Blaine was far too scared of letting people past the veneer in the first place because of what was underneath. It was a truly vicious circle.

_Thousands of answers  
To one simple question  
Come take the weight off me now_

_Well I'm like a kid  
Who just won't let it go  
Twisting and turning  
The colours in rows_

When Blaine was nine, his mother had bought him a Rubik's Cube. He had played with it almost every day, bemused by the fact that he couldn't solve it. He was a bright boy and longed to use his brain fully. The colourful cube confused him. He didn't understand how something that appeared so simple could be so enigmatic. It wasn't until Blaine was fourteen that he had understood the purpose of his mother giving it to him. It was to teach him about life. It was to teach him that people may appear one way on the outside, but when you really stopped to figure them out, they would jumble and become mysterious.

_I'm so intent to find out what it is  
This is my Rubik's Cube_

Blaine was just that. He was a Rubik's Cube.

_I know I can figure it out. _

_Lost in the playground  
Late night nostalgia  
Open the sky for me now_

_Friends round the fire  
Outside in December  
Open the sky for me now_

_Oh, I'm like a kid who just won't let it go  
Twisting and turning the colours in rows  
I'm so intent to find out what it is  
This is my Rubik's Cube  
I know I can figure it out_

_Credits roll over the edge of horizons  
That I haven't discovered yet_

That line had always made little sense to Blaine. Whenever he sang this song, he had puzzled over the line. Blaine interpreted it to mean that all life goes by without knowing what's coming next and it ends without knowing many trivial things that you wanted to know when you lived, such as how to do a Rubik's Cube.

_Oh, I'm like a kid who just won't let it go_

Kurt began to gently sing with Blaine, his high, clear tones contrasting to Blaine's low, throaty belt. The harmonisation was perfect, almost like they had practised the change a million times before.

_Twisting and turning the colour in rows  
I'm so intent to find out what it is  
This is my Rubik's Cube  
I know I can figure it out_

Kurt lingered on the last line of the chorus whilst Blaine moved on to the next chorus. It was effortless, almost for the pair.

_Oh, I'm like a kid who just won't let it go  
Twisting and turning the colours in rows  
I'm so intent to find out what it is  
This is my Rubik's Cube  
I know I can figure it out_

They both finished singing and Kurt played the last ostinato, trailing out with a beautiful finality that left everybody speechless. They applauded their efforts and Mike, Tina and Finn all stood, nodding at the musical display that had just transpired.

"Thank you." Blaine muttered. He hadn't known that he was crying. Crap, how could he let them see him like that? He had originally come to impress Kurt, as he wanted on that fine ass, but it had ended up with him exposing himself to complete strangers. Well, he knew most of them, but only by name and face…and slushy colour. Rachel preferred grape, Tina preferred blueberry, Finn hated cherry and Mercedes seemed to go with apple more than anything.

Kurt handed him the sheet music back, grinning. Kurt was also crying. Maybe that song meant a lot to him too, Blaine thought. Blaine offered his arms for a rare hug. Kurt raised his eyebrows, but sank into the embrace anyway. Blaine smelled amazing, Kurt decided. He smelled like raspberry hair gel mixed with a faded vanilla scent and cigarette smoke. Blaine smoked? Surprisingly, it wasn't as much of a turnoff as Kurt originally thought.

Kurt smelled amazing, Blaine decided. Like a fresh flower, wait what was he even saying? Blaine Anderson did not get sappy like that over smells of flowers. That was something for other people.

"Thanks, Kurt, but I gotta go." Blaine bolted from the room.

"Blaine you have to stay for…rehearsal." Will bit his lip.

"It's the first one, Mr Schue, relax. He'll be back tomorrow." Santana spoke up. Kurt nodded shortly before regaining. He certainly hoped that Blaine would be back tomorrow.

* * *

**Author's Note: I know I have several ongoing stories which I promised wouldn't happen, but I couldn't _not_ write this, especially after it plaguing my mind for so long. By the way, that has been written in a morning after I've had no sleep whatsoever, so if it's completely awful, tell me. **

**Songs used: **

**Title: "Devil's Backbone" by The Civil Wars from their album _The Civil Wars_**

**Chapter Title: "Gone" by Madonna from her album _Music_. **

**Kurt's Audition: "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" by Aron Wright. Seriously, check this out. It's unreal. I know that Blaine has performed this song in canon, but the versions are quite different and Kurt's has a meaning that will be revealed in later chapters. Sorry if there was any confusion or mixed messages with the performance of the song. If you listen to the Aron Wright version, you'll understand the differences.**

**Blaine's Audition: "Rubik's Cube" by Athlete from their album _Black Swan_. This song has a very special part in the story coming up later. You'll see. It holds a very prominent place in the hearts of the two boys and all will be revealed with time.**


End file.
